Hibernians to hold mini St Patrick’s Day parade in Kinturk in honour of Hugh O’Neill

Hibernian brothers Ciar�n McElhone, D�nal Muldoon and Pat Joe Quinn

Published:12:51Friday 22 July 2016

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Organisers from the Ancient Order of Hibernians are planning a mini St Patrick’s Day celebration in Tyrone to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the death in exile of the Great Hugh O’Neill - who passed away in Rome in 1616.

Known as Hibernian Day, the event will take place in Kinturk on Sunday, September 11 and will involve a parade of AOH bands from across the North.

A special Aodh Ó Néil medallion is to be struck for the occasion and a number of these will be presented to a variety of people at a gathering in the Kinturk Centre after the parade.

One medallion will be reserved for a special presentation to the American AOH in memory of several Hibernians from New York who, as firefighters, died in the line of duty at the World Trade Centre in 2001.

The fifteenth anniversary of the 9-11 attack coincides with the Hibernian Day parade. A spokesperson for the organisation said: “The areas now known as East and South Tyrone were once the stronghold and last stand of Gaelic resistance to English conquest during the Nine Years War (1594-1603) in which the Irish forces were led by Hugh O’Neill.

“During an assault on the western shores of Lough Neagh in 1602 - not far from Kinturk - English commanders boasted of having killed every man, woman and child they could find - over a thousand in all. Large crowds are expected for the occasion and people are advised to arrive well before 3pm, when the parade is scheduled to begin.”